Embedding AR/VR With Purpose

Matthew McKenzie, Senior Director, Southern Utah University’s Center for Teaching Innovation

Matthew McKenzie is the Senior Director of Southern Utah University’s Center for Teaching Innovation, where he leads initiatives across digital pedagogy, online course development and emerging educational technologies. His journey into augmented and virtual reality began three years ago through a state-funded innovation grant, which enabled the creation of a dedicated studio and immersive learning classroom on campus. Under his leadership, the university adopted a faculty-first approach to XR integration—prioritizing exploration over instruction and encouraging educators to discover use cases organically. Beyond XR, McKenzie’s portfolio includes faculty development, Canvas support, multimedia production and instructional design. His work ensures SUU remains agile in its response to evolving academic needs, blending handson experimentation with strategic support to foster lasting innovation in teaching and learning.

What It Takes to Keep AR/VR Relevant

One of our biggest challenges is ensuring consistent, meaningful support for faculty as they explore AR and VR. At Southern Utah University, we’ve addressed this by building a strong cohort model and maintaining a dedicated team of student workers. These students do more than just keep the equipment updated—they actively help run the lab and even create original content for faculty, allowing us to develop customized applications rather than relying entirely on commercial software. Sustainability also comes down to funding and infrastructure. Technology evolves rapidly, and without a clear plan for keeping hardware up to date, it’s easy to fall behind. I’ve seen this happen in K–12 settings, where aging equipment can stall progress. We’re working hard to avoid that trap by planning for regular updates and long-term viability.

“Bringing sensation into the learning process adds a powerful layer of realism, especially for students preparing for high-stakes, precision-driven fields. It’s where AR and VR can truly begin to replicate and enhance real-world practice”

Finally, I believe the real question with any new technology—AR, VR or otherwise—is: What does this enable that a traditional classroom cannot? In one case, a geology professor used VR to let students manipulate rock formations not found in our region. That kind of experiential learning, where students can explore and interact beyond the limits of location or a slideshow, is where the real value lies.

Simulating Touch in Virtual Spaces

One of the most exciting developments I see emerging is the integration of tactile feedback into immersive learning— tools like haptic gloves that go beyond visual interaction and actually simulate physical sensations. We’re working with a pre-dental group here at SUU that discovered an app with this potential. The idea is that students could eventually wear gloves and feel the resistance or pressure involved in something as precise as a dental procedure. Instead of just watching or manipulating with joysticks, they would experience what it feels like to work in a mouth, offering a more realistic, hands-on learning experience. For me, that’s the next evolution of immersive technology—not just spinning an object or exploring a 3D model, but actually simulating the physical dimension of a task. Bringing sensation into the learning process adds a powerful layer of realism, especially for students preparing for high-stakes, precision-driven fields. It’s where AR and VR can truly begin to replicate—and enhance—real-world practice.

Collaboration That Strengthens Innovation

A recent initiative that’s had a strong impact at Southern Utah University has been the reimagining of how we engage our student workers. Rather than assigning them only support duties, we’ve empowered them to take on active roles in content development for AR and VR applications. This shift has increased their sense of ownership while also enhancing the quality and relevance of the tools we’re building.

We’ve also partnered with the cybersecurity and computer science departments to explore security best practices. As we develop our own applications, we’re intentional about ensuring they’re protected against breaches and data vulnerabilities. That layer of collaboration adds technical depth and strengthens the integrity of what we deploy. Another major step has been involving computer science students—particularly those in capstone courses— in developing homegrown solutions that align directly with SUU’s instructional goals. While this may not be groundbreaking elsewhere, for us, it marks a new chapter. It’s expanded our in-house capabilities and given students a direct role in shaping the future of immersive learning on campus.

Broadening the AR/VR Classroom

Our focus at Southern Utah University is on expanding immersive technology use beyond the hard sciences. Early adopters naturally came from disciplines like anatomy, physiology, and chemistry, but we’re now seeing growing interest from faculty in fields like counseling and language instruction. Our American Language and Culture Center, for instance, has begun using virtual environments to help international students build English-speaking skills in more dynamic, engaging ways.

This evolution signals a broader shift. We’re beginning to think of AR and VR not just as tools for scientific visualization, but as platforms for immersive practice across academic disciplines. I see real potential in integrating this technology into classrooms focused on soft skills, communication, and behavioral learning. We also hope to deepen collaboration with our school of education. Preparing K–12 teachers with hands-on experience in emerging tools can elevate their future classrooms and broaden access to innovative learning strategies. Building that technological fluency into teacher training programs feels essential as immersive tools become more common in everyday instruction.

The Human Side of Tech Adoption

One thing I’ve learned is that reducing barriers must come first. When we started our program at SUU, we quickly realized that faculty buy-in would be one of our biggest challenges. For many, it wasn’t just about learning a new tool—it was about trusting that the technology would stick around beyond the grant cycle and actually apply meaningfully to their discipline. That meant we had to do more than just train; we had to listen. We had to show them what the technology could do in their world, not just in theory or in someone else’s classroom. My advice to anyone beginning this journey is simple: identify the obstacles early. You may not be able to eliminate them all, but knowing what they are allows you to plan around them. Support and collaboration—not just equipment—are what drive adoption. That’s been a key reason our program has gained traction and continues to grow.

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